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A lorra ring roads, retail parks and fag packet tower blocks
What's going for it? The new Margate, despite the lack of sea, or sand, or, indeed, Our Tracey. Jeremy Hunt, the culture secretary, has name-checked Wakefield, along with Margate and Folkestone as the most marvellous examples of arts-led regeneration. While Wakefield may be the lesser for its lack of a prom-prom-prom, tiddly-om-pom-pom, its new Hepworth art gallery, by Sir David Chipperfield, is rather a cut above, glowering above the rushing river Calder, Yorkshire style, in heather-grey concrete. Talk of arts-led regeneration is a little cart before the horse in Wakefield – it's been arty for years. The place hardly wants for pedigree, with the astonishing Yorkshire Sculpture Park down the road, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth on the local birth register, a new market hall by superstarchitect David Adjaye and a council with a sturdy history of buying and supporting local art. Though Wakefield never metamorphosed into Hampstead or St Ives. Nor is it likely to. This is a rugby league, rough and tumble kind of place, with few airs and graces. Bit like Hepworth herself.
The case against A lorra lorra ring roads, retail parks and fag packet tower blocks. The town's no beauty.
Well connected? Train: a choice of Kirkgate and Westgate stations; 20 mins to Leeds (several an hour); to Doncaster, 17 mins (every half hour); just over two hours to London King's Cross, half hourly. And, lucky people, the M1 and the M62.
Schools Primaries: Over a dozen "good", says Ofsted, with Alverthorpe St Paul's CofE "good" with some "outstanding features". Secondaries: The Cathedral schoolis "good" and "increasingly effective", and St Thomas a Becket Catholic collegeis "good" with some "outstanding features".
Hang out at … The cafe at the Hepworth, looking broodingly creative.
Where to buy Plum for me is St John's, north of the centre, packed with period properties, up along Bradford Road and past College Grove Road, to Outwood and Lofthouse for a more suburban feel. Also Agbrigg and Sandal, south, have period hearts. West to Alverthorpe and Wrenthorpe, too, for suburbans.
Market values Huge detacheds and town houses, £350,000-£500,000, occasionally to £750,000. Detacheds and town houses, £190,000–£350,000. Semis, £70,000-£375,000. Terraces, £65,000-£220,000.
Bargain of the week A nice, large, period four-bed detached with a good-size back garden, in the west near Thornes Park, £329,500, with Holroyd Miller.
From the streets
Caroline Atkinson "Favourite place is Rinaldisare Italian in Sandal – great food and atmosphere, busy even midweek. Great transport links."
Richard and Helen Lee "Over the last 16 years Wakefield has seen many changes, from a centre of the mining industry to a modern small city surrounded by green open space – all for the better. Lots of culture – Hepworth, Sculpture Park, National Coal Mining Museum, country parks, Nostell Priory, a great cathedral. Best pubs are The Hop, Henry Boons, and Fernandes for real ale – Ossett brewery ale is excellent."
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Tom Dyckhoff
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